The dust settles on the weekend with the sun shining in the Arsenal world, even into the darkest recesses inhabited by the creatures of the underworld, emitting an eye-piercing scream, “Curse you Wenger, I’m melting“, as a top three finish is now deemed achievable.
I am not sure what effect the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas will have. Ordinarily you would expect that to be a spark for the Chelsea season but their season is beset by such deep-rooted problems that beyond the initial feelgood factor, is there any substance? Appointing Roberto di Mateo is not being met with universal dread outside of Stamford Bridge with his spell at The Albion hardly a ringing endorsement of his managerial prowess. Yet different clubs, different times; the judgement will come at the end of the season.
It raises an interesting contrast in managerial philosophy; some would argue that Wenger would be long gone by now, evicted from his position in 2006 following defeat in Paris. If you are going to apply the Abramovich business model, I would observe that Arsène would have been dismissed no later than 2000 following on from the Manchester United treble of 1998-99 and a failure to win silverware the following season. Considering that, how much of the golden years of his reign would have happened under anyone else? To be honest, it is impossible to conceive of it. After all, Arsenal had little or no competition for Thierry Henry’s signature from Juventus.
The constant rotation of managers is interesting. There are few, if any, clubs who have sustained success from that policy. Real Madrid and Chelsea both prove that you might have a few years of silverware but when that well runs dry, the foundations that managerial stability bring to the youth set-up are not there. Looking at Chelsea, they spent some considerable time with Frank Arnesen, buying up the cream of European talent (as they saw it) and have not reaped any benefits so far; how many players are in the first team from their youth ranks? That and spending in excess of £70m buying managerial contracts and then settling them when the incumbent is sacked, signal that they have little intent on complying with Uefa’s FFP regulations. Will Uefa have the same lack of moral backbone in enforcing them?
Not that the manager has given up on silverware this season. Casting his eyes to European shores, Arsène‘s philosophy is clear,
We want to make the impossible possible. From the first leg it looks impossible but we have to have a real go, play with belief and think we can do it. You never know. Maybe I will change the structure of the team to go for it and see if we can put them under pressure and score some goals.
We have nothing to lose. For us to find the right balance between having to completely go forward and not concede a goal will be the difficulty for us because they have talented players.
I should imagine that Monsieur Wenger would be more than happy taking the match to a penalty shootout following Wojciech Szczesny‘s Anfield escapade. As implausible as it seems, the match is a ninety minute cup-tie for Arsenal. They know they have to score at least four which is a tall order even before you consider that Milan are top of Serie A. It is not impossible, the North London Derby proved anything can happen in the next ninety minutes to paraphrase Commander Shore.
We shall see. I still cannot decide whether it is more beneficial for Arsenal to rest key players such as van Persie ahead of the home match against Newcastle. Yet that is a week away being the Monday night fixture which allows plenty of scope for rest.
I do not subscribe to the view that defeat will damage morale. The squad seem well equipped to separate league and cup form; startling well equipped. My initial view was to rest the first team and let Chamakh and Park loose to wreak their own havoc but that was under the presumption that we would defeat Sunderland in the FA Cup. Without that fixture pressure, is there any need to be that cautious? I’m not sure but that’s too decide ahead of tomorrow’s post.
Enjoy the rest of your day, especially if it is matching the Dales sunshine we have. ’til Tomorrow.
Watching fox soccer channel on saturday and this was a question they asked Barton.
Who is the better player right now, Dempsey or RVP?
Now I rate Dempsey highly and wouldn’t mind him at Arsenal but that has to be the dumbest question ever!
At last someone with a bit of mojo, hunter get cracking son contact Mr Lewin and get our effing injury curse sorted.
whats his telephone number?…no hang on i can visualise it..i see it… im on it ..
“Gary”
” Huh,?!”
“Its me Gary, its Hunter”
” Ehmmm, Im not Gary mate, Im his little brother Colin”
” Oh?! My bad. …Is that why they re all injured? where is your brother?”
” They took him in england national team now..it was ages ago…”
” Oh bollocks….make a switch.you go to england and do your thing on arry;s players and tell your brother to come back …saves me the voodoo and shit…”
@ PG
Thank you, George. I understand now. You may not believe me, but not so long ago, I saw someone do that exact thing (raise shoulder and cause pain as opposed to drop shoulder and avoid) three times in a minute in a crowded station in London!
Would it be too much to expect 8-3 victory over Milan, to assuage pain of the 8-2 defeat elsewhere earlier in season? Zlatan hat-trick, of course, for them, he is on fire right now.
Hope the kids get a go, Theo and the Ox, I’m sure they’d enjoy trying to knock ‘em in.
Not sure why Park and Chamakh would get a look-in tomorrow night. That does not speak of “going for it” to me. Although with our midfield so decimated (strategically, who knows?), we may only be able to achieve a restrained kind of “going for it” after all.
Chelsea are a scummy set of shitbags..
From the owner right into the players..
I watched the Chelsea game the other night and those players werent playing for him anymore..I dont think Roman really wanted to fire AVB but he had to because they are about to fall down the table..Player power gone mad..It would be nice if he had been given a fortnight longer so we could have opened up a much bigger lead, but I agree it remains to be seen whether Di Matteo can steady the ship… As long as we keep winning it doesnt matter if he does..3 points ahead with the chance to make it 6 when we play them at home..We’ve got Chelsea under control still..
I think spurs should be more worried about us than what we should be about chelsea..
And yeah i watched what happened with Arteta a few times and i think he was intentionally done..
I remember a while back, I think it was after the Liverpool v Spurs game and i thought that Liverpool are a set of dirty fuckers, they play for draws at home, they cant finish, they bore the shit out of you and kick you in the air all game…bale got targetted in that one and spurs caved in..
I wasnt sure about going to anfield and they were true to form and they tried to beat us up..Spearing got off with one on rosicky i think and the little fucker knew it as well..
you cant polish a turd though..
Theyve got Kuyt, weve got Van persie..
“I would like them to get behind the team and not think about the first leg,” he said. “Getting behind the team will give us a chance.
“[Negative supporters] didn’t affect the players against Tottenham. They just kept going. A big part of the support was positive. You always have a small part that are not happy. You have to accept that.
“In fairness as well, in the media when you have 60,000 people, 1,000 people shout against the team then the media reports on the 1,000. That’s the perverse side of the democracy today. The excessive people get more publicity than the normal people.”
The optimism is great and just what the team need ahead of and during the game. But if it doesn’t work out, I just hope people remember it’s a long shot and don’t turn against the players. Just be proud of the effort whatever the outcome.
Can’t wait for the game tomorrow. Time to teach the cheating Basterds a footballing lesson. On how to win with honor and not by doing dirty pitch work. My expectations are that we will give it a right go. Run them to the ground so much so that they will be dead legs at the end of the game. AC will not come out attacking, even if they go down by a few goals. They will park the bus and hang on for dear life, alma. Shitty from last year. We have to show patience and try hard to unlock the defance. Or maybe bait them out and then hit them on the counter. I can see this game to penalties at the end and in that case my money. Is on WOJO. they will miss one or two due to tired legs.
As for SPEARING AND HENDERSON THUGS, you might have gotten away with it from the ref. And. Fa point of view. But all is not forgotten you Basterds. Till we meet again. You will be chopped down in half , fucking dirtbags.
UP THE. GUNS!!!!!!;!!
Sticky Tomato = Tomas Rosicky Also my daughter’s but it made me chuckle
Agree with George: Henderson has an opportunistic go at him. Some morons don’t know their own strength and how dangerous it is to cause that kind of rotation to the head.
Not knowing the reserves and other possibles well, is it that we will see a fresh face tonight? Not to broadcast my ignorance but before Miguel made his appearance at the start of this season (Liverpool I think) I was not much aware of him, except as a name. Ditto Yennaris. Any ideas? I still see the only option as a 4-4-1-1, with Song and Ox in the middle, between Gervinho and Theo, and Robin sitting behind Chamakh, which is a strong attacking line-up. If Rosicky is OK, then it reverts to 4-3-3, or perhaps Rosicky will be used for the first half only. Or is it conceivable that Wenger will do something weird, place Jenks at left back and Gibbs in front of him to feed Gervinho?
Morning troops, today we go over the top. And not just in the title of the post,
http://aculturedleftfoot.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/milan-preview/
Looking at the potential midfield injury list our plan for a veritable feast of attacking football looks more likely by the minute, (brought to you direct from the Kevin Keegan school of ‘we will score 5 more than you’)
I like the idea that Song Young Gai ‘drops in’ to make up the fourth man in the defence when necessary, but Arsene was very specific about 6 strikers, the only one to replace can be Sticky Tomato, but I can’t think of anything delicious to replace Park’s name with!
It looks like Artete’choke might make a come back for hors d’oeuvres.
Sorry to keep serving this up.
yah, let it go SA. don’t beat a dead horse.
Zim at 6.57am
Would that San Miguel?
Goonerkam,
Dead horse? Add some garlic and oil and that would be a French appetiser.
Hahaha, you and MD GOONER should get together and bake them horse meat pasties. I’ll pass though. Never was much of fan of French cuisine. Can’t stand the thought of Escargot even. Nah, not for me tnx.
Please, please, please, Arsene! Forget the CL and just focus on EPL. CL is a lost cause as we don’t have a chance to win it all even if we could have got past Milan. I for one was happy we lost the first leg as our focus this year must be for a top 4 finish. If we can beat Newcastle next fixture that gives us a little breathing room as we would have vanquished most of our closest competition for the position. Playing up the CL risks injury to key players and tired legs for a highly improbable victory. My strategy would be to lose on purpose so we can concentrate all our efforts on catching those fakers just ahead of us. Go Arsenal!!